A day in Belem is the perfect excursion for those visiting the Lisboa area. Many are drawn to this little town at the mouth of the River Tagus for its famous Pastis de Nata. Having sampled a couple of these scrumptious pastries this was my main reason for making the family swing by Belem as we left Lisbon and headed towards the Martinhal Beach Resort. A quick lunch in Belem is what we planned for and while it wasn’t enough time to explore this monumental area, we did get a quick feel for this Southwestern most part of Lisbon from where many a seafarer embarked on their voyage of discovery.
I’ll cut to the chase and tell you that I DID NOT have any of that Pasteis de Nata. Why? Because there was a ridiculous line up and I don’t do lines! Just as I kissed goodbye to Belem I got a tweet telling me that the line up was for those doing take away and that had I walked in and asked for a table, I would have got one immediately! SO there you go….remember that tip and tell me if that custard tart was as good as the rave reviews it receives!
Belem was enjoyed by the kids because there was plenty of space for them to run around. Baby Boy loved exploring the exterior of the Jeronimos Monastery (remember this Fashion Friday post where we shared some pictures?). We didn’t go in to pay our respects to Vasco da Gama but from what I could tell it’s quit magnificent inside. Little Monkey and Baby Boy took turns knocking on the doors and asking questions like “can horses go through this door with the princess?”. Architecture fanatics would most definitely want to spend some time exploring the interior and exterior of this UNESCO World Heritage site.
We walked around looking for a lunch spot and most of the restaurants on the main strip were either very touristy or had long wait times. As we walked up and down the main street we stumbled upon an empty joint that looked welcoming. No sooner had we sat down and placed our order, the place filled up! Looks like we found a hidden gem because the traditional Portuguese food was delicious here and one of the better spots when it came to fresh fish cooked well! Adega de Belem is definitely the place to dine at if you’re visiting the area. Portions are huge though, you’ve been warned!
Kids will also enjoy the playground and ice cream shop across from the Monastery! Plenty to keep them occupied as you soak in the history of the place and marvel at the sites. We drove here because we were on our way to the Algarve but taking the train from Lisbon is easy and relatively cheap from what I was told. Definitely making a trip to Belem if we head towards Lisbon again! I NEED some Pasteis de Belem and want to roam by the water!
